Playing with a laptop while driving

Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
> Is it legal? I sort of doubt it, but I might be wrong.
>
> If it is, I wonder how long it will be before the guy with the Sony Vaio
> mounted high on the center console will get his ticket. It appears to be
> mounted with a kit similar to the computers cops have in their cars, but
> higher, so the back of the screen (with the Vaio logo) is plainly
> visible through the windshield.

Legal or not, you're taking a big chance if you do it because if you
have a crash while using a laptop and someone dies, you are wide open
to a manslaughter charge.

Is it legal? I sort of doubt it, but I might be wrong.

If it is, I wonder how long it will be before the guy with the Sony Vaio
mounted high on the center console will get his ticket. It appears to be
mounted with a kit similar to the computers cops have in their cars, but
higher, so the back of the screen (with the Vaio logo) is plainly
visible through the windshield.


--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
Due to recent budget cuts, the light at the end of the tunnel has
temporarily been turned off.

On Sun, 27 Nov 2005 20:10:18 -0800, "Paul Hovnanian P.E." >
wrote:

>Is it legal? I sort of doubt it, but I might be wrong.
>
>If it is, I wonder how long it will be before the guy with the Sony Vaio
>mounted high on the center console will get his ticket. It appears to be
>mounted with a kit similar to the computers cops have in their cars, but
>higher, so the back of the screen (with the Vaio logo) is plainly
>visible through the windshield.

Depends on what you're doing with it.

If you're actively distracted, playing solitaire or something, I think it's
probably illegal.

If you're playing Street Atlas USA on it as a moving map, its not any different
from the dedicated GPS systems that display the next turn.

I don't think there's any law against user-installed instrumentation. If its
just telling you something about the driving environment, then I imagine its
OK. If its being used as an entertainment device, I think its probably
illegal.

Dave Head

Remind me of when I used to watch "Cops" in search of whatever sodden
Freudian enjoyment one gets from that. One moment that went without
comment was one of the brethren driving down a residential street at
nontrivial speed in a complete head-down mode, poking at the computer.


I would be shocked, shocked, to find that some civilian drivers while
away a long trip by watching DVD movies on their laptops. This has
become pretty commonplace among passengers, and surely some people
steal a glance, or rather a lot more than a glance, from behind the
wheel.

Amazing what people find to do instead of paying attention...

--Joe

Paul Hovnanian P.E., > was motivated to say this in
rec.autos.driving on Sun, 27 Nov 2005 20:10:18 -0800:
> Is it legal? I sort of doubt it, but I might be wrong.

Dunno if its legal or not, but if whomever is playing with a laptop
computer while driving and not paying attention to driving, he is a
disaster waiting to happen.

> If it is, I wonder how long it will be before the guy with the Sony Vaio
> mounted high on the center console will get his ticket. It appears to be
> mounted with a kit similar to the computers cops have in their cars, but
> higher, so the back of the screen (with the Vaio logo) is plainly
> visible through the windshield.

Tell him to please, please come drive down here in GA and hit me. I need
the money that would be generated from the lawsuit.

In article >, says...

>Is it legal? I sort of doubt it, but I might be wrong.

Not in and of itself. But you can be sure that a person who is doing this
will not be able to control the car properly and that is covered by other
laws.

>If it is, I wonder how long it will be before the guy with the Sony Vaio
>mounted high on the center console will get his ticket. It appears to be
>mounted with a kit similar to the computers cops have in their cars, but
>higher, so the back of the screen (with the Vaio logo) is plainly
>visible through the windshield.

Could be they only use it when they are stopped.
---------------
Alex